Matthew 12 · Verse 29

Matthew 12:29

Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Matthew 12:29, King James Version

Matthew 12:29 in other translations

BSB	Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
WEB	Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
ASV	Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
YLT	‘Or how is one able to go into the house of the strong man, and to plunder his goods, if first he may not bind the strong man? and then his house he will plunder.
DARBY	Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless first he bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.
BBE	Or how may one go into a strong man's house and take his goods, if he does not first put cords round the strong man? and then he may take his goods.
Webster	Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house, and seize his goods, except he shall first bind the strong man? and then he will plunder his house.

What does Matthew 12:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

29. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house--or rather, "the strong man's house." and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 29. Or else, etc. He takes a new illustration to confute the Pharisees, drawn from breaking into a house. A man could not break into the house of a strong man, and take his property, unless he had rendered the man himself helpless. If he had taken his goods, it would therefore be sufficient proof that he had bound the man. So I, says he, have taken this property--this possessed person--from the dominion of Satan. It is clear proof that I have subdued Satan himself, the strong being that had him in possession. The words of else, mean or how. How, or in what way, can one, etc.

Spoil his goods. The word spoil commonly means now, to corrupt, injure, or destroy. Here it means to plunder, to take with violence, as it commonly does in the Bible. See Col 2:8,15, Ex 3:22.

(a) "spoil his goods" Is 49:24, 53:12, Rev 12:7-10, 20:2,3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 29 Else how can one enter into a strong man's house - Men, through sin, are become the very house and dwelling place of Satan, having of their own accord surrendered themselves to this unjust possessor; for whoever gives up his soul to sin gives it up to the devil. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone, who can deliver from the power of this bondage. When Satan is cast out, Jesus purifies and dwells in the heart.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 12:22-30

A soul under Satan's power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eyes by unbelief, and seals up the lips from prayer. The more people magnified Christ, the more desirous the Pharisees were to vilify him. It was evident that if Satan aided Jesus in casting out devils, the kingdom of hell was divided…

Read the full comment on Matthew 12:22-30 →

Matthew 12:29 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἢēOrG2228

πῶςpōshowG4459

δύναταίdunataiis ableG1410

τιςtisanyoneG5100

εἰσελθεῖνeiseltheinto enterG1525

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὴνtēntheG3588

οἰκίανoikianhouseG3614

τοῦtouof theG3588

ἰσχυροῦischuroustrong [man]G2478

καὶkaiandG2532

τὰtatheG3588

σκεύηskeuēgoodsG4632

αὐτοῦautouof himG846

ἁρπάσαι,harpasaito plunder,G726

ἐὰνeanonlyG1437

μὴmēunlessG3361

πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413

δήσῃdēsēhe shall bindG1210

τὸνtontheG3588

ἰσχυρόν;ischuronstrong [man]?G2478

καὶkaiAndG2532

τότεtotethenG5119

τὴνtēntheG3588

οἰκίανoikianhouseG3614

αὐτοῦautouof himG846

διαρπάσει.¶diarpaseihe will rob.G1283

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 12:29

Isaiah 49:24
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
Mark 3:27
No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Luke 11:21-22
When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Revelation 20:7-9
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
1 John 3:8
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Revelation 20:1-3
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Revelation 12:7-10
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isa 49:24; 53:12; Mr 3:27; Lu 11:21,22; 1Jo 3:8; 4:4; Re 12:7-10
Re 20:1-3,7-9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 12:28
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Matthew 12:29
Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Matthew 12:30
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Read all of Matthew 12

Matthew 12:29 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque, ¿cómo puede alguno entrar en la casa del valiente, y saquear sus alhajas, si primero no prendiere al valiente? y entonces saqueará su casa.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ou comment quelqu’un pourra-t-il entrer dans la maison de l’homme fort et piller ses biens, si premièrement il n’a lié l’homme fort? et alors il pillera sa maison.
German Elberfelder 1871	Oder wie kann jemand in das Haus des Starken eindringen und seinen Hausrat rauben, wenn er nicht zuvor den Starken bindet? und alsdann wird er sein Haus berauben.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Aut quomodo potest quisquam intrare in domum fortis, et vasa ejus diripere, nisi prius alligaverit fortem? et tunc domum illius diripiet.